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"When you get a virus, you get a fever. That's the human body raising its core temperature to kill the virus. Planet Earth works the same way: Global warming is the fever, mankind is the virus. We're making our planet sick. A cull is our only hope. If we don't reduce our population ourselves, there's only one of two ways this can go: The host kills the virus, or the virus kills the host. Either way..."

― Richmond Valentine explaining his plan

Richmond Valentine was a well-known philanthropist and billionaire. Concerned with the environmental problems that Earth faces, he decided to take matters in his own hands by concocting a plan to kill a majority of the planet's population. He is the main antagonist of Kingsman: The Secret Serviceand a cameo character in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. He is portrayed by famous actor Samuel L. Jackson.

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Biography

A New Invention

Richmond Valentine is an extremely wealthy technology tycoon and a computer genius who wants to change the world by giving away SIM cards around the world. Unknown to people, he will later change the majority of the people in the world into extremely violent, barbaric, vicious animals that can actually to destroy everything in their way and possibly even kill themselves. He is the arch-enemy of the top secret organization called Kingsman who trains a young man called Eggsy (the film's main protagonist) and he is the CEO of his own technology company, the Valentine Corporation. He employs gigantic army of soldiers and workers that works for him.

Revealing his Plot

Valentine's plan in the movie is revealed: Valentine conducts a test in the church, his hidden place broadcasting a signal to phones containing his SIM card which causes humans to become uncontrollably violent. Harry Hart, Eggsy's mentor and guide at the Kingsman, is sent to investigate and follow after Valentine's plan.

After a lengthy massacre, in which only Harry survives, he is confronted and killed by Valentine while Eggsy, Merlin, and Chester King watch via video link. Valentine’s plan then becomes clear – he is going to broadcast the signal worldwide using his satellite network and cause a mass cull of the human race, sparing the Earth from further environmental damage by man.

The Final Battle and Death

After managing to kill Valentine's affiliate and traitorous Kingsmen leader Arthur, Eggsy, along with agents Roxy and Merlin, head to Valentine’s secret base in the mountains to stop him from executing his plan; with Roxy destroying Valentine's satellite while Eggsy stops Valentine himself. Valentine speeds up the plan upon noticing Eggsy when former Kingsman trainee, Charlie Hesketh, exposes him. After silencing Charlie with one of his devices, Eggsy flees to safety as Valentine starts the final phase of his plan.

During the raid on Valentine's base, the implanted devices are triggered, causing them to explode and kill off all of the VIPs who were part of Valentine’s plan. After a battle which ends with Eggsy killing Valentine’s assistant and right-hand woman, Gazelle, Eggsy hurls one of Gazelle's bladed prosthetic legs into Valentine's chest, killing him as well as causing him to vomit at the sight of his own blood before collapsing onto the floor. With his last breath towards an amused Eggsy, Valentine dies of his injury.

Personality

As a self-made millionaire, Valentine is outwardly influential and personable. Despite his wealth he wears informal clothing and even buys fast food such as McDonald's for himself and his wealthy dignitaries. His influence is incredibly deep, from celebrities to politicians to even the President of the United States were all in Valentine's pockets. This is a testament to the fact that Valentine is an extremely charismatic and highly intelligent man, a skilled technician and an ingenious planner. Even Eggsy, who soon becomes his nemesis, considers him a genius.

Valentine also dedicated his fortune to save the world from pandemics like overpopulation and global warming. Though originally going by acts of charity, Valentine grew disgusted by the politicians acceptance of the status quo as long as their pockets were lined. Therefore, Valentine equates humanity as a virus poisoning the world and mass a culling was the only logical solution to save it; those who survived were picked by Valentine's own hand whom he deemed worthy enough to rebuild it correctly. Ironically, despite Valentine's previous negative opinion on politicians many of those he saved to build his new world order were either celebrities or have deep political sway. When Eggsy and Merlin murdered his VIP's, he was disgusted about the murder of "innocent people" despite continuing with his plans of mass murder around the globe, showing he would have a social preference in his new hierarchy did it ever come to pass.

Despite his plans of a cull, Valentine is uncomfortable with violence to the point where seeing a drop of blood would cause him to vomit. The first time he murdered someone personally, he considered the feeling "terrible". However, he was willing to overlook the violence of his own plans because from his perspective they were all killing themselves.

Valentine also seems to treat his minions kindly. He speaks to Gazelle like an equal rather than a simple servant and she was the only one of his VIP's who didn't have an explosive device implanted inside her, showing his fondness. Once, the two even went dress shopping together and make close personal contact though it's unknown if they ever became romantically involved. Valentine was also disturbed by the death of Professor Arnold and his VIP's, claiming that they were his friends.